A live musical production consists of many voices, instruments, and sound effect generators. These sound sources constitute a very dense acoustical environment. Stereo is a high fidelity sound reproduction scheme which uses many channels to record a live musical production. The intrinsic characteristics associated with the excitements, locations and movements of these sources are faithfully recorded in a stereo sound reproduction scheme. On a play back mode, the stereo systems will truly reproduce these intrinsic characteristics. An audiophile can enjoy a live musical production in his own living room with the help of his stereo play back system. He is able to identify and locate each of the musical sources without any confusions. Meanwhile he is deceived by his stereo play back system as if a live musical production is performing for him specially.
While stereo systems are dominated ones in acoustics, RF deception systems in use today are mono in nature, i.e. each deception system is comprised of a single antenna to receive and transmit RF radiations. Mono RF deception systems suffer from many drawbacks. They lack the sophistication and spatial diversity as in comparison with acoustical stereo systems. They can not reproduce many important features and RF signatures of fighting platforms for achieving successful deceptions. In light of the above, there is a need in the art for more advanced RF systems for deception, and other applications.
The objectives of the present invention are for electronic deceptions as well as intelligence gathering, and other applications. The invention is based on the RF modulation of laser sources. An optical fiber RF link system was introduced in the previous invention of optical fiber based bistatic radars. The inventor has discovered that RF links can also be accomplished through direct laser transmissions. The difference between optical fiber and direct laser RF link systems is only in the replacement of the optical fiber by a direct laser. Both optical fiber and direct laser RF link systems will be referred to as an optical RF link system. The optical fiber based bistatic radar should be properly referred to as an optical bistatic radar.
RF interferometers as used in radio astronomy employ multiple antennas, which are regularly spaced and properly placed. They function as a whole antenna for attaining the finest angular detail in astronomical observations. Like the placement of speakers in the stereo sound reproduction, no strict regularities are imposed on the placement of antenna subsystems in the present invention. In most cases, these antennas mounted on respective remote vehicles move separately to achieve objectives of the present invention.